Calvary youths ‘battle’ to raise money

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It was an epic battle of boys versus girls. As the moment of declaring the winning team approached, the lights lowered, the cheers got louder, and the drum roll intensified as both Craig Alix (boys team) and Carrie Pauquette (girls team) were armed with a pie, awaiting the announcement.

Craig Alex and Carrie Paquette react after receiving pies in the face as part of a fundraiser at Calvary Evangelical Church in Van Wert.(photo submitted)

Then it happened: the girls were pronounced the penny war champions and Alix’s face received a pie in defeat. As Paquette gloated in victory, though, Alix greeted her with a face pie of her own.

The kids and volunteers of Calvary Evangelical Church’s Summer Bible Venture — Gadgets and Gizmos: Uniquely Wired and Wonderfully Made, were challenged to bring in coins to donate to the YWCA Summer Lunch Program. Whichever team brought in the heaviest amount of coins was declared the winning team. The boys collected 124.2 pounds of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, but the girls outweighed them in change with 151.2 pounds. Collectively, the kids and volunteers of SBV17 raised a total of $1,024.37 to give to our local YWCA.

The YWCA Summer Food Program has 225 boys and girls registered and will be providing breakfast, lunch and weekend backpacks filled with food through August 4. Besides food, the YWCA also offers recreational activities to these boys and girls of Van Wert.

“Because of donations like this, we can take the kids on field trips like bowling and going to the movie theater that otherwise would not have been possible,” said Jordan Dettrow, supervisor for the Summer Food Program.

He noted that, in addition to monetary donations, the program also needs playground equipment, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, sunscreen, books, and games.